


Take Me Back

by CallidoraMalfoy1228



Category: Boy Meets World
Genre: Cory is a bit OOC in the beginning of this one, Definitely an alternate universe, F/M, M/M, Slash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2018-10-31 01:00:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10888584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallidoraMalfoy1228/pseuds/CallidoraMalfoy1228
Summary: It had been fifteen years, two months, and four days since Cory Matthews had run away from his own wedding. In those years, he’s made a life for himself all the way  across the country, in Oak Harbor, Washington. And then his past comes bursting back into his life in the form of the very man who caused him to run in the first place: Shawn Hunter. Shawn and Cory must heal the wounds left by Cory’s actions, finding their way back to themselves along the way.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I'll be posting the first official chapter to this one later this evening, rest assured. This is just something my brain thought up and wouldn't go away. Right now the only people in this are Shawn and Cory. Eric, Jack, and Topanga will make an appearance later on, though. 
> 
> Callidora

It was just after three in the morning when Cory sealed the last of the three letters he’d prepared. One for Topanga Lawrence, the woman he was supposed to marry tomorrow. One for his parents, who he would likely never see again. Or, if he did, it would be a very long time. And one last letter for Shawn Hunter. His best friend, the man that had caused the epiphany that had started this whole this, had the longest of the three letters. Shawn’s letter was six pages long and was probably full of rambling, incoherent thoughts that Shawn wouldn’t fully understand. But that was okay because Cory’s head was clear now and he could go through with his ridiculous plan without worrying too much.

He didn’t think about Shawn’s reaction to his letter. Cory would not think about the fact that his best friend was going to find out by way of letter that Cory was in love with him and was undoubtedly going to be horrified. Instead, he took one last look around his bedroom before opening his door. He had no idea where he was going after this or where the next chapter of his life would take him but Cory was sure that this was what was best. Maybe he’d come back someday and face this, face the people he was leaving behind. But that was a long way off.

Standing on the front lawn of his parents’ home, Cory stared up at his childhood home for a long moment. He would miss this place and the memories it held. He’d miss his parents and his siblings. Cory would miss Topanga as well. He may not have been as in love with her as he’d thought himself to be but he was going to miss the woman that had been his best friend since childhood. Above everything, though, he was going to miss Shawn. He was going to miss having someone who knew him better than he knew himself, having the quiet companionship and strong presence that had always been his best friend. 

Cory hoped that Shawn would forgive him. Forgive him for falling in love with him, for running away from what those feelings meant. He hoped that Shawn would find happiness, even if Cory himself would never be a part of that happiness. Above everything else, Cory wanted Shawn to have the kind of life he’d always wanted. That was the most important thing to him. 

Turning away from the house, Cory climbed into the cab he’d called. He directed the driver to the bus station, fingering the wad of bills in his pocket. Wherever he went from here, whatever he did with his life, Cory hoped that the people he was leaving behind would understand that he loved them.


	2. Fifteen Years Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cory and Shawn come face-to-face

One  
Fifteen Years Later

At thirty-three years old, Cory Matthews was a very different man than the boy he’d been when he left his parents’ home. He was a successful business owner and father of two boys that he’d adopted thirteen years ago. His life was a happy one and he thanked his lucky stars for the chance that he’d taken fifteen years ago. Things had worked out well and he couldn’t be happier with the life he’d built for himself. 

He’d landed on the island of Oak Harbor, Washington fifteen years ago. Back then, he’d been a scared kid running away from feelings and responsibilities that he wasn’t yet ready to face. It had only taken him two days to find a job working in a privately owned bookstore. He’d worked there for two years and the owner, a quiet man by the name of Darryl McBride, had become like a father to him. Around the two year mark, Darryl had asked him to take over the business and Cory had accepted.

Darryl’s daughter, Devon, had become a close friend to Cory in those first years. Around the same time that Cory had taken over the bookstore, Devon had gotten pregnant. She had been diagnosed with cervical cancer and had been told by a doctor that she should terminate the pregnancy in order to save her life. Devon had refused to do any such thing and had gone along with the pregnancy. She died after giving birth to identical twin boys and Darryl had asked Cory if he would consider adopting the boys. Darryl was too old now to raise them himself and Devon had, after all, named Cory their godfather. And so Cory had done just that. He’d adopted the boys whom he’d named Devin and Michael in honor of their mother. (Devon’s full name had been Devon Michelle McBride.) 

He hadn’t spoken to anyone back home since he’d come to Oak Harbor. A few times, he’d thought about calling or taking a trip to see them. But something stopped him every time he thought about it in any serious sense. It had been fifteen years and he was sure his family was worried about him. Hell, if he ever came back, Eric would probably punch him square in the jaw. Cory vowed that he would someday take the boys and go. But he wasn’t ready yet. No matter how long it had been, Cory still didn’t want to go there.

It was a slow day at the book store. Devin and Michael were spending the day there with him due to having been grounded two weeks previously. They spent most of the day arguing and wrestling in a back room while Cory sorted new inventory and dealt with the occasional customer. At around noon, Cory headed to a sandwich shop a few blocks away to pick up lunch and left the boys with strict instructions to take care of the shop. He trusted them with the shop. Though they were only thirteen, his boys were responsible and generally didn’t make too much trouble. 

He returned to the shop thirty minutes later to find Devin behind the counter, talking animatedly to a tall man with dark brown hair. Michael was rummaging in the back room where they kept their most valuable books and he could hear the younger twin cursing as he closed the door.

“I’m going to ground you for three more weeks if you don’t stop cursing, Mike.” Cory called out to his youngest.

There was a crash and a muffled curse. A second later, Michael stuck his head around the door. “Can you not scare the shit out of me, please? I don’t fancy going into cardiac arrest before high school.” 

“Language. Come eat your lunch and I’ll take over from here.” 

Shooing Devin and Michael into the back with their sandwiches, Cory faced the man in front of the counter. There was a brief heartbeat in which he wondered if he was dreaming. Unfortunately, the moment passed quickly and he was rewarded with the sound of a voice that he’d only heard in his dreams during the past fifteen years. 

“Cory?!” 

Yeah. That was definitely Shawn Hunter standing in front of him. Cory went very, very still. He was aware that his sons had come out of the back room and were watching the scene as it unfolded with curious eyes. A part of Cory wanted to tell them to mind their own business but he was relatively sure that they would ignore that request. Besides, he wasn’t sure that he was actually capable of speech. His voice box was currently malfunctioning. 

There was a long moment in which no one spoke. And then Devin sauntered up to the counter beside his father, Michael at his heels. His oldest son scrutinized Shawn’s face for a long time before he turned to his father with raised brows.

“You didn’t tell me that you’d told Shawn to come here.” Devin said.

Cory moved his gaze to his oldest son. “That’s because I didn’t.” He said.

Michael leaned on the counter. “So this is a completely coincidental reunion?” He asked, feigning innocence. Cory was immediately suspicious but held his tongue because he wasn’t sure how Michael could have had anything to do with this. 

Cory sighed and gave a small, helpless nod. Michael turned to Shawn and grinned. “I’ll be taking my brother to the back of the shop. Feel free to have your emotional reunion while we listen from behind that door.” Michael turned to his father and added, “It’s a good thing we have dental insurance, dad, because you’re going to need it after he knocks a few of your teeth out.” 

With that, Michael grabbed Devin’s shirt sleeve and dragged him into the back of the shop. Shawn was still staring wordlessly at Cory as the latter went to flip the closed sign. He was moving to stand awkwardly in front of Shawn when his childhood friend reached out and actually did punch him the mouth. Cory massaged the cheek, not sure what to say.

There was a long moment in which Shawn didn’t speak. He stared at Cory with furious eyes and Cory stared back, unsure of what to say. From the back room, he could hear his sons arguing and gave a small sigh. He’d told them, of course, about how he’d left home fifteen years ago and the reasons behind it. The conversation had come after Devin had come out of the closet last summer. His oldest had been utterly terrified that his father would hate him for it and so Cory had explained that no, he wouldn’t hate Devin for that because he himself was bisexual as well. He’d explained then, to both of the twins, why and how he’d left home the night before his wedding fifteen years ago. Needless to say both of the twins had been relentless in trying to get him to contact someone in his family.

“You realize you’re supposed to be silent when eavesdropping, correct?” He called out to his boys.

“And you realize that you’re supposed to be having an emotional reunion right now rather than talking to us, correct?” Michael called back and then cursed as Devin slapped the back of his head. (Which Cory knew was what Devin had done because that was what Devin always did.)

“You’re actually here. I’m not dreaming.” Shawn’s voice was very quiet when he next spoke, his eyes riveted on Cory.

“If you’re dreaming then this is a shared dream.” Cory answered.

“I should punch you in the face again.” 

“Do it! Our dental plan is excellent!” Michael called out and then cursed again.

“Give me a minute.” Cory told Shawn.

He headed into the back room and handed his boys each a twenty dollar bill. “Go do something in town. I don’t care what.” 

“We’re grounded.” Said Michael, a bit smugly.

“And now you aren’t. Now go. This isn’t a conversation for thirteen year old boys.” 

“But Dad…” 

“Come on Mike. Dad told us to get so we’re gonna get. Maybe we can get that video game we’ve been looking at if we put our money together…” Devin interrupted, taking his brother by arm and forcing him out of the bookshop.

Cory watched them go and then looked at Shawn. “Come on back here.” He said.

“Won’t your boss get mad if you don’t man the shop?” Shawn asked as he joined Cory in the small break room.

“If I had one, he probably would. But I took over from the original owner around the time I adopted the boys. I’ve been the sole owner of McBride’s Books for thirteen years now.” He said.

Shawn took a seat and stared at Cory. “Fifteen years.” He said in a strained voice.

“I’m sorry.” 

“You’re sorry?! For what, exactly? For telling me – in a fucking letter mind you – that you were in love with me and then disappearing? For not giving any of us any sort of indication that you’re okay?! Or are you sorry that I got an email six weeks ago from one of your children telling me that I would have a surprise if I came out here and asked for a book from this shop?” Shawn demanded, glaring at Cory.

Cory sighed. He should have figured that Michael would do something like this, honestly. Shawn didn’t even have to tell him that the email had been from Michael because Cory knew that Devin wouldn’t have done anything like that. Michael, however, would do exactly that.

“Michael.” He said.

“Yes. He emailed me six weeks ago and told me to come out here. Said to come to a place called McBride’s Books and ask for a book. There was a surprise waiting for me there, he said, something I’ve been looking for. I only came because I was curious.” Shawn’s voice was tight.

“He didn’t tell me that he was doing that. Though I probably should have expected it. He’s been very vocal about trying to con me into contacting you guys.” 

“I want an explanation, Cory.”

Cory sighed and looked at the ceiling. “The week before I was supposed to marry Topanga I had an epiphany. I was not in love with her. I spent most of the week trying to figure out how to tell her and I was never successful. And then, two days before the wedding, I came to an even more terrifying conclusion; I was in love with you.” He gave a soft, humorless laugh. “I freaked out, I guess. There was no way I was ready to face that and I hadn’t even told Topanga that I didn’t want to marry her. I wrote the letters the next night and spent every free moment figuring out what to do. The night I left, I put the letters on my desk and left. Called a cab and went to the bus station and just…left.” He sighed, looking at Shawn. “I got here a month after I left home and I’ve been here ever since.”

He told Shawn about his life in Oak Harbor. When he told him about how he’d adopted his boys, Shawn’s face filled with something that looked like relief. When he’d finished, Shawn stared at him with wide eyes. 

“I can’t say I forgive you just yet but…I understand it.” Shawn said carefully. “I mean, I know what it’s like to want to run. But I wish you’d contacted someone.” 

“I thought about it. Especially after I adopted the boys. Daryl was a huge help, yeah, but I wanted you guys to know them. They’ve both been pretty outspoken about wanting me to contact you since I told them what happened, though Devin wouldn’t have emailed me. He seems to have gotten all the common sense.” 

“Why didn’t you call? Or write? Or…anything?” Shawn no longer sounded angry, just curious.

Cory shrugged. “After a while I just didn’t know what to say. So many years had passed and I had no clue how I was supposed to approach the subject.”

“So, instead of calling or writing, you just let us worry about you for fifteen years?” Shawn let out an angry breath. “And here I thought you actually had a brain.”

“Look, you don’t understand. I’d left everything behind. I had run from my problems instead of facing them. And I just… I let myself go without contacting you guys for so long that I became afraid of actually doing it. I know it was stupid but put yourself in my shoes, will you? I was eighteen and in love with my best friend, I was supposed to marry someone that I was no longer in love with, and I didn’t know what the hell I was doing!” 

“That’s the problem, Cory. You didn’t give any of us a chance. I had to find out in a letter that you were in love with me after spending two years trying to convince myself that I wasn’t in love with you!” Shawn shouted, his face turning red in anger.

Cory’s heart stopped. He couldn’t have heard that right. There was absolutely no possible way that he’d heard Shawn correctly. Because his brain was telling him that Shawn had just said that he’d tried to convince himself that he hadn’t been in love with Cory. Which meant that Shawn had obviously had some sort of feelings for Cory. His chest aching, Cory forced his eyes away from Shawn’s face and focused on the dark stain in the center of the break-room floor. His eyes stung with sudden tears and he blinked hard, swallowing that sob that welled in his throat. 

“I didn’t… I was stupid, okay? I didn’t know what the hell to do. I just…”

And then he was crying, the tears streaming down his cheeks and neck. Cory didn’t know how to put his feelings from that time into words. He stared at the floor, letting the tears stream down his cheeks. Shawn’s eyes were riveted on his face, his face pale as he watched the tears stream down Cory’s cheeks. 

Cory hadn’t cried like this since the night he’d arrived in Oak Harbor. That night had been the only time Cory had allowed himself to cry over the things he’d lost. But sitting there right then, Shawn in front of him, that wall of pain and loneliness and regret slammed into him again and it was all he could do to curl in on himself. He was thankful that the boys weren’t there to see this, to see him like this. 

“I don’t understand why you didn’t just tell me. Did I… did I ever give you the illusion that I wouldn’t listen to you?” Shawn asked, still watching the tears drip down Cory’s face.

“You didn’t give me that impression, Shawn. I just… I wasn’t ready to face it. I was eighteen years old and I’d just realized that I wasn’t in love with the woman I was supposed to marry. And then, if that hadn’t been enough, I realized that I was in love with you and it was like the entire world collapsed. I didn’t know how I supposed to deal with any of it!” Cory replied.

There was a long silence as they stared at each other. Cory closed his eyes and took a few deep, slow breaths. He forced himself to calm down, willing himself to believe that everything was going to be okay. Whatever happened here today, Cory would find a way to be okay with it. He’d spent fifteen without Shawn. He could continue on as he had been. Even as he thought them, Cory knew the words were a lie. When he opened his eyes, Shawn was still staring at him. His gaze was unreadable but his eyes were filled with something that Cory wanted to call longing. He knew that emotion well because it was the one he’d often seen in the mirror in the last fifteen years. When Shawn spoke, his voice was low and careful. But the words gave Cory hope.

“I think I’m going to stick around for a while. We’ve… we’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter ends a bit abruptly, I know. But I intended it to be that way. I wanted it to end on an optimistic note. Cory and Shawn are going to move forward from here, tentatively at first.
> 
> Also, who enjoyed Devin and Michael? I absolutely loved writing them and they'll definitely be in the story a lot more. Michael's actions in getting Shawn here will be addressed in the next chapter by Cory - and by Devin as well - but not in a negative way. They may not be his blood but the twins are Cory's sons and they're a huge part of any life he'll build with Shawn. I hope you enjoyed this and let me know what you think!
> 
> Callidora.


	3. Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, there's a bit of a heavier discussion between Shawn and Cory in the end of this chapter. You finally get to hear more about what happened to Devon and Michael's mother and even a little about what the Matthews have been doing in Cory's absence. I'm sorry for how short this chapter really is but it was really heavy and I thought the ending was a bit hopeful. There will be a lot more of this story. The Matthews won't be featured just yet, though. Cory and Shawn have things they need to deal with before Cory is ready for that reunion. I hope you're all enjoying the story!  
> Callidora.

By the time Devin and Michael came back to the shop, Cory and Shawn were standing behind the counter again. The shop was still closed, mostly because Cory and Shawn were too busy talking to pay attention to customers. They were just waiting on Devin and Michael to get back so that Cory could take Shawn back to his house. Shawn had decided that he’d stay with Cory, in the spare bedroom, for a while. The boys were going to be absolutely thrilled about this, Cory was sure. But he was grinning as they sauntered into the shop, Devin carrying a bag from a local game store.

“You’re not dead, then.” Michael stated.

“No. But I ought to ground you for an eternity.” Cory told him.

His oldest raised an eyebrow. “What’s he done this time?” Devin asked, dodging a swipe of his brother’s hand.

“Sent me the email that brought me here.” Shawn said, smirking just a bit at Michael.

Devin looked at his brother. “Mike! I thought you’d agreed that we’d let dad take care of it!” He told his twin.

“I agreed with you mostly to shut you up. By the time we’d had that conversation, Dev, I’d sent the email already.” Michael said.

Devin rolled his eyes. “I had no idea that he’d done that dad. If you really must ground him then please just ground him. I’ve done nothing wrong.” He said.

“He’s not grounded.” Cory said. “I ought to ground him but I won’t. If only because Shawn convinced me that I’ve done worse things in my life.” 

Shawn rolled his eyes. “That’s because you have.” He said.

Devin shook his head. “Dad’s a saint. There’s no way he’s ever been in trouble.” 

“Have you been lying to your children, Cor? That’s a serious offense.” Shawn asked.

Cory laughed. “I haven’t told them about all the trouble you got me into, Hunter.” 

Shawn looked at the twins. “He blames it on me but he was the one who usually came up with the crazier schemes.” He told them.

“I believe you.” Michael said. “The quiet ones are the always the craziest ones.” 

Cory rolled his eyes. “Get your coats and get to the car. Back seats. Both of you. Shawn returned the rental car. He’s driving back with us.” 

“He’s staying at the house?” Michael asked.

“No. I figured we’d let him sleep on the beach.” Cory said sarcastically.

But Michael only shrugged. “I suppose if you’re gonna have sex all night long, that would probably be best. Dev and I don’t need to hear that.”

He was gone before Cory could say anything. Which was good because his twin had given a sound of very intense disapproval and followed him from the bookstore. When they were both gone, Cory looked at Shawn.

“Were… we weren’t this obnoxious, were we?” He asked.

“I think we were worse actually.” Shawn said, following Cory out of the shop.

Cory shook his head as they reached the black SUV he’d bought three years previously. Devin and Michael were standing outside, wrestling with each other. Michael shot his father a smirk before he hopped into the back seat, laughing at his brother’s outraged cry of ‘Michael!’ 

“How in the hell did you end up in Washington of all places?” Shawn asked as they pulled out of the parking lot.

Cory shrugged. “I was looking for a place that was as far from home as I could get. I was originally heading for Spokane but someone recommended Oak Harbor and I decided to try it out.” He grinned. “I fell in love with it right away.” 

“It is a beautiful place.” Shawn agreed as they pulled into Cory’s driveway.

“Grandpa Daryl is here!” Devin called as they parked.

Cory glanced out at the black mustang parked in front of his house. “So he is.” 

Michael rolled his eyes. “He’s here to meet Shawn. Dev and I called him to tell him that he was here.” 

Devin shoved his brother’s shoulder. “I had no part of that conversation, dad. Michael did the calling.”

Cory grinned. “I believe you. Come on. Let’s go see what your granddad is up to.”

He led Shawn towards where Daryl was standing by the front door. A tall man with graying brown hair, Daryl was one of Cory’s favorite people in this town. He was already grinning at Cory as he listened to Michael prattle on. 

“Hey Dar. Wanna stay for dinner?” Cory asked.

“If you’ll have me, I think I could be persuaded to do that.” The older man said.

“This is Shawn, by the way. He’s… my best friend?” Cory glanced at Shawn to check that the other man had no problems with that description. 

Shawn brushed his hair out of his eyes. “Yeah. I’m Shawn Hunter.” He rolled his eyes as they walked into the house.

“You boys go order a pizza and then play a game upstairs.” Cory told his sons.

Michael started to protest but quickly stopped as Devin dragged him upstairs. Shawn, Cory, and Daryl made themselves comfortable in the living room.

“So. You’re the infamous Shawn Hunter.” Daryl said, shooting a smirk at Cory who blushed and looked at Shawn.

“Don’t believe anything he tells you, Shawn.” Cory said.

“And now I know to believe everything.” Shawn shot back, grinning.

“Cory talks about you all the time.” Daryl smiled. “Good things all of them.” 

Shawn looked at Cory. “You did?” He asked.

“Of course I did. Just because I couldn’t bring myself to contact you doesn’t mean I completely forgot about you.” Cory said.

Daryl nodded. “He by no means forgot you. Every conversation had some little anecdote about something you’d have said or done.” He grinned. “When he agreed to adopt the boys, he stuck your name in there.”

“How did you do that?” Shawn asked, raising an eyebrow at Cory.

“Their full names are Michael Shawn Matthews and Devon Eric Matthews.” Cory paused and then said, “I should have switched them around, though, because Michael is a little hell-raiser.”

“Reminds me of you, I’m honest.” Shawn said.

“Excuse me, I wasn’t the one usually leading us head-first into trouble. That was you, Hunter. I simply followed so you didn’t get yourself killed.” Cory accused, wagging a finger at him.

Shawn looked at Daryl. “Well, he isn’t lying. I did usually come up with the ideas. He never really attempted to stop me.” 

“I did too. But I eventually learned that it did no good. I tried to talk you out of something and you’d do it anyways.” Cory pointed out helpfully.

“Well, you aren’t exactly lying…” Shawn was quiet for a moment before his face turned serious. “You’ve missed out on a lot, you know.” He told Cory.

Cory nodded. “I’ve kept up with a few things but I tried to stay out of most things.” He said.

“Jack and Eric are married now. Have been for two years. They finally admitted that they were in love with each other in a giant shouting match in your parents front yard. I laughed myself silly.” Shawn paused. “Topanga is married as well. Some guy she met in college. He’s a good guy. They have a daughter together.” 

“I’m glad everyone is happy. Wish I could have been there to see it but… well, I’m glad they’re happy.” 

Shawn glared at him. “I still want to punch you, you know. And that is nothing compared to what Eric’s going to do when he gets a hold of you.” He shook his head. “Surprisingly, Topanga wasn’t mad. She was hurt and she cried a lot but she said she understood. She’s probably still going to slap you, though.” 

“I deserve it.” 

Daryl stood up and slid silently up the stairs where Michael and Devin could be heard arguing as the conversation between the two friends heated up.

“I still don’t understand why you stayed gone for so damn long. I understand leaving. Hell, I’ve done that enough in my own life to understand why you felt that you needed to leave.” Shawn’s face crumpled and he leaned forward, putting his face in his hands. “But you stayed gone. You were my best friend and you stayed gone.”

“Shawn…I…” 

“No.” Shawn interrupted, glaring at him. “You had your chance and now it’s my turn.” He took a deep breath and then said, “You left me with a fucking letter! I found out that you were in love with me by way of a goddamned letter!” He took a deep breath. “I thought, ‘okay, I can deal with this.’ I waited for you to return but you… you didn’t! You didn’t even care enough to call!” 

Cory shook his head. “I called once. Hung up the second you answered, though. It was two weeks after I’d adopted the twins. Devin had colic and had spent the night exercising his lung capacity and Michael wouldn’t sleep when Devin was crying.” He closed his eyes. “I got them to sleep at four in the morning and I was so exhausted but I couldn’t sleep. I wanted to hear your voice. I thought, if I could hear your voice, I could get through it. So, I called you. And you answered and I… I freaked out and I hung up without even breathing.” He ran a hand down his face. “The week you published your first book, I sent you a postcard with a picture of some leaf in Vermont on it. I didn’t sign it but I sent it because I wanted you to know that I was… that I… ah fuck it. It doesn’t matter anymore, obviously.” 

He buried his face in his hands, letting the tears fall again. It was silent for a long moment. 

“You what, Cory?” Shawn asked, his voice quiet. 

“You published your book when Devon, the boys’ mother, was eight months pregnant. Daryl asked me to drive her to Seattle for her OB appointment and we stopped in a bookstore on the way home because she wanted a new book.” Cory smiled at the memory. “Your book was in the window. Ten minutes later, I was browsing the store when I saw this postcard. It had a picture of leaves falling from a tree and a picture of a map of Vermont on the back. I didn’t even really think about it, I just bought it.” He took in a deep breath. “We stopped by the post office and I sent it off to you. And then I got in the car and I sobbed for thirty minutes because I fucking missed you and I was too much of a damned coward to do more than send an unsigned fucking postcard to you!” He shook his head. “I sent that dumb card because I wanted you to know that I was proud of you.”

“Why didn’t you just call? I get why you didn’t call your family. I do. But I don’t…why would you…I don’t understand…” 

“I wanted to call. Especially there when Dev got to the end of her pregnancy, I wanted to call you and tell you to come here.” Cory blinked furiously. “She had cervical cancer. They found it when she was a few months along and they told her that it would kill her if she went through with the pregnancy but she wouldn’t entertain the thought of an abortion.” Cory let out a half-laugh half-sob. “She threw her purse at the doctor who first suggested it and threatened to punch the nurse in the face.” He sobbed openly, squeezing his eyes shut. “A woman that had been the closest thing I had to a best friend in this new life was dying and I was going to be a single parent and I was scared. I wanted…I just wanted you there with me but I couldn’t convince myself to pick up the fucking phone.” 

“Oh God, Cor…” 

And then Shawn was hugging him, letting Cory bury his face in his chest and sob. The memory of that fear was still tangible, still so real that it made Cory’s chest ache. He remembered holding the twins and promising them that he would never leave them and how much he’d wanted to call Shawn and tell him to come and help him because he didn’t know what the fuck he was even doing. He remembered the sleepless nights and the terror of being a single dad to a set of twins whose mother had just died and wanting his best friend to be there. 

But Shawn was there now. It was thirteen years later but Cory didn’t care. His best friend was holding him and, for the first time, Cory felt like maybe he was going to be okay.


	4. Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I re-wrote this chapter because I really wanted to make it longer... and better. After fighting with my muse for what seemed like centuries, I've done it. I think. Lemme know what you guys think.   
> Callidora.

Daryl offered to take care of the store for a few days after that, telling Cory and Shawn to spend a few days together. The boys had reluctantly gone to stay with him as well after being assured that they would get the chance to spend time with Shawn and Cory as well. The first night was spent talking about their lives. Cory got to show Shawn baby pictures of the twins and to hear all about Shawn’s travels around the world. It turned out that Shawn didn’t exactly have a home base. He stayed at hotels here and there, sometimes for a month or two at a time before moving on to the next town. He’d been writing a fiction book series as well as publishing several books of photography. 

They hadn’t exactly talked about the reason behind Cory’s dramatic exit from home. It was definitely something that they both wanted to talk about, sure. But Cory wasn’t exactly brave enough to bring it up and Shawn didn’t actually seem to want to talk about it at all. The entire thing was making Cory feel like he was a teenager again and he hated it. He hated feeling unsure about this. Shawn had made it seem like he had harbored feelings for Cory but he hadn’t said anything about those feelings recently. It was starting to drive Cory absolutely insane. 

“Cory? What in the hell are you doing awake? It’s four in the morning.” 

Shawn’s voice echoed in the quiet kitchen and Cory glanced up at him. The other man was walking into the dimly lit kitchen, dressed in only a pair of loose-fitting sweat pants and socks. His hair was mussed from sleep and Cory had to strangle the sigh that almost came out of his throat. The sight of a shirtless Shawn standing in his kitchen had never failed to make Cory weak in the knees and he was pretty sure it would never change. 

Cory shrugged, taking a sip of his coffee. “I couldn’t sleep.” He said simply, because there was no way that he was going to tell Shawn that he’d been awake all night thinking about the feelings that had come rushing back. 

“You’ve been doing that a lot.” Shawn commented, sitting down in front of him.

“What?” 

“Not sleeping. This is the third night in a row.” In front of him, Shawn leaned back and raised his eyebrows.

Cory shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Just haven’t been sleeping well is all.” He said.

“Why is that?” Shawn tilted his head to the side.

“It’s nothing, really.” Cory looked out at the rain falling and held in another sigh.

Shawn rolled his eyes. “You haven’t gotten any better at lying, Cor.”

“Not lying. Just… omitting information?” Cory tried, knowing that this whole thing was useless and they were going to end up talking about this anyways. 

Shawn closed his eyes and shook his head. “Why do I get the feeling where there’s something we need to talk about that you’re avoiding?” He asked.

“Because that might be what’s happening here.” Cory admitted, looking at Shawn again.

“Out with it. We’re going to get through this tonight. Period.” Shawn said, his amber-green eyes glittering.

Cory shifted again. “I’m not exactly sure… I mean… this isn’t…” He groaned, unsure of where to start.

“Cory, just spit it out. I’ve stayed this long, haven’t I? After everything we’ve been through, you know you can trust me with this.” 

Cory swallowed and looked out at the rain again. He didn’t truly know where to begin. How was he supposed to tell Shawn that he was still in love with him when Cory was ninety-percent sure that Shawn didn’t feel the same anymore? Hell, for all he knew there was someone out there who Shawn actually did love. Shaking his head, Cory looked down at the table and bit his lip.

“I’m in love with you. I don’t think I ever actually stopped, honestly. Just shoved the feelings down because I didn’t think they actually matter anymore. But now you’re here and I can’t ignore them anymore even though I don’t actually think you feel the same. Which sucks because I don’t…” 

“Cory. Shut up for a second.” Shawn gave a small laugh. “How do you expect me to respond if you don’t actually give me a chance?” 

Cory looked at him. “Well, I didn’t really think I wanted to know what you thought about it.” 

Shawn rolled his eyes. “Cory.” He interrupted again, grinning a little. Cory didn’t understand that grin.

“Okay. Okay, you can talk. Just… go easy, okay?” 

Cory swallowed again and bit his lip, still staring at the table. 

“Cory, I am not going to say anything until you look me in the eyes. I’m not going to stab you, Cor. I just want to talk.” Shawn sounded more than a little amused. 

Cory looked up at Shawn, his heart in his throat. He couldn’t have spoken if he’d wanted to.

“I don’t know why you seem to think that I’m going to have anything negative to say about this.” Shawn rolled his eyes before continuing, “I’ve been in love with you since I was sixteen, Cor. I have spent the past fifteen years traveling around the world and there has still never been anyone I love more than you.” 

“But… you haven’t…” Cory was very confused. 

His best friend rolled his eyes again. “Said anything? Yeah, I know. You didn’t seem to want to talk about it and I didn’t want to scare you off when I’ve only just found you again.” Shawn looked momentarily embarrassed. “Trust me, Cor. I really wanted to talk about this, I did. But I… I didn’t want to lose you again.”

For at least the millionth time since Shawn had come to Oak Harbor, Cory felt the weight of guilt settle in his chest. If he’d never left home the way he had, this probably would never have happened. Shawn had thought that he’d lose Cory if he tried to talk about the way they felt. Leaning forward, Cory covered his face with his hands and groaned. 

“You wouldn’t have lost me. I don’t… I… Fuck.” Cory couldn’t accurately put his thoughts into words. He felt like his chest was imploding. 

Shawn reached out to touch Cory’s hand, a small smile on his face. “Come on. When did we lose the ability to talk to each other?”

“When I left for fifteen years and didn’t even bother to call you. I… I’m the one who screwed this all up, after all. You should hate me.” Cory said miserably, not removing his face from his hands. 

“Cory, you were a kid. You were supposed to get married and then all of these realizations hit you at once and you freaked. That isn’t easy, okay? I was angry at you for a long time but I… I’m not anymore. I have enough practice with running from my problems to understand where you’re coming from. Talk to me, Cor. You’re my best friend. We’ve always been able to talk to each other.” Shawn said softly. 

Cory looked up at Shawn, his heart in his throat. He wanted this more than he could express but he wasn’t sure if he had the guts to talk about it. After a moment, though, he nodded and spoke. 

"For so long I've felt like a failure. I left everyone that cared about me behind and I didn't even bother to do more than send a fucking postcard." Cory said bitterly.

Shawn snorted. "Do you know how many times over the past fifteen years that Eric or Jack have come to drag me out of whatever hole I've dug for myself? Too many times, okay? There's no one that could ever pull me out of that but you, not successfully at least. And yeah, you fucked up." He reached out and took Cory's hand. "But we can move past that, Cory. I love you, okay? That doesn't just go away because one of us screws up. If that was how it worked, neither one of us would have fallen in love with each other." 

“What are we, Shawn? What are we trying to do here?” Cory asked, though the words tasted like razor blades in his mouth. 

Shawn looked at him and bit his lip. His hand tightened around Cory’s for a moment and he simply stared at him with a thoughtful expression. For a moment, the only sounds Cory could hear was the sound of his own heart beating.

“I can’t answer those questions for you but I can answer them for myself.” Shawn said softly, his words echoing in the kitchen. “You are the love of my life and the only person who has ever stood beside me no matter how screwed up I was. Regardless of how much time has passed… that fact will never change.” Shawn smiled and Cory’s heart flipped. “As for what I’m trying to do here… Well, I’m trying to convince you that I want a chance at making this work. A chance at… at making us work.” 

When Cory looked at him, Shawn was wearing an unsure expression. As if Cory could ever want anything else. Tightening his hands around Shawn’s, Cory took a deep breath and let himself speak. 

“It’s almost like you read my mind.” Cory said. He gave a soft laugh before continuing, “When I first told the boys why I’d left home, Michael said that he loved me but that I was an idiot. I should’ve known right then that he’d end up finding you.” 

“Does… does that mean you’d want to give this a try?” Shawn asked, sounding unsure. 

“I would love nothing more than to try this out.” Cory admitted.

Shawn smiled and pulled himself and Cory to their feet. He stood in front of the shorter man for a few seconds, just staring into his eyes. Cory’s heart was racing in his chest as he stared back. Shawn’s throat bobbed as he swallowed before leaning down to press his lips against Cory’s. The kiss was everything Cory had been dreaming about and more. Shawn tasted like home in a way that made Cory long for more. He wrapped his arms around the taller man’s neck and let their kiss deepen, a small groan releasing from his throat. 

“Can we go to sleep now?” Shawn asked, his voice amused. 

Cory nodded. “I suppose you can.” 

“I don’t think I’ll be sleeping alone. You’re coming with me.” Shawn said, raising an eyebrow at him.

Cory nodded and followed Shawn from the room. A part of him was wondering if this was little more than a weird dream that he’d been having. One look at the joy shining in Shawn’s eyes brought with it the knowledge that this was indeed reality. He couldn’t wait to tell the boys.

When they woke the next morning, Michael and Devin could be heard down in the kitchen. Cory could hear his oldest son griping to his youngest about something that Michael had said. Lying still for a few minutes, Cory and Shawn listened to the twins argue. Cory chuckled as he heard the tell-tale sounds of his sons starting what would be at least the millionth wrestling match in his kitchen. 

“We should get down there.” He said. “Preferably before they break my table again.” Cory said.

Shawn looked down at him. “They’ve broken your table before?” 

“No less than three times. They’ve also broken a coffee table, a couch, at least four windows, and two televisions. I’m beginning to wonder if this is how my mother felt raising all of us.” Cory said, rolling his eyes as he sat up. 

Shawn laughed. “I think you and I probably got ourselves into more trouble.” 

“Oh no, you have no idea what these two are capable of. Devin is the more rational twin, yes. But he’s easily susceptible to Michael’s charms. When my youngest decides he wants to do something – no matter how against the rules it is – he just badgers Devin about it until he gives in.” Cory sighed. “Really, I was hoping that Devin would be a little more like me. I never gave in to you that easily.”

Shawn threw his head back and laughed at that. “Matthews, you are such a liar. Half of the shit we got into could have been avoided if you’d just kept your ground.” 

“I did no such thing!” Cory insisted, raising his chin defiantly. 

Shawn pushed Cory back onto the bed and pinned him to the mattress. Hovering just above his head, the taller man smirked down at Cory before capturing his lips in a kiss that would have made Cory melt if he’d been made of ice. As it was, his body turned to jelly amazingly fast. 

“That, Shawn, is called cheating.” Cory said.

Shawn’s eyes glittered as he shrugged, kissing Cory again. For a long time, they lost themselves in each other. It was nice. Until…

“For Heaven’s sake! Close the door if you’re gonna do that!” 

That was Devin. Cory looked towards the door and saw that both of his sons were standing in the doorway. Devin had his hands over his eyes and looked disgusted. Michael was just smirking, an arm thrown casually around his brother’s shoulders.

“Uh… boys… this…” 

Devin interrupted him hurriedly. “Dad. I’m happy for you. It’s great that you and Shawn are… uh… together… but I’ve got virgin eyes.” He peeked out from between his fingers and howled again. “I’m committing myself to a convent. Becoming a nun.” He muttered.

Shawn howled with laughter, burying his face in Cory’s shoulder. Michael was chuckling as well, his grin wide. 

“Dev, nuns are women. You’d have to be a priest.” Michael pointed out.

Devin nodded. “Then that is exactly what I’m going to do! My eyes!”

Cory couldn’t stop laughing. He heard the sound of his door shutting as Devin hurried downstairs with Michael on his heels. The younger twin seemed to be laughing and gently teasing his elder brother all the way down the stairs. After a few minutes, Shawn pulled his head back and looked down into Cory’s eyes. There was a long time in which Cory got lost in the sea of green and gold that was his best friend’s eyes. He’d loved these eyes – and the man they were attached to – for longer than he even realized. They were… they were his safe harbor. Fifteen years later and Cory felt safe again. The thought had him surging up to claim Shawn’s lips in a kiss that had the taller man clutching the bed.

“What was that for?” Shawn asked when they parted.

Cory smiled. “I’m glad you found me.” He whispered.

Shawn kissed him again, softer this time. When they parted, he buried his face in Cory’s shoulder and took a deep breath. The future wasn’t going to be easy, Cory knew. The coming months – and even years – were going to be difficult. Especially facing his family and Topanga. But, with Shawn at his side, he would get through this. He would get through everything.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Notes: Hey guys. So I know it’s been a super long time since I updated this fic and I apologize immensely for that. Life has gotten to be extremely busy lately and I haven’t had much time to actually work on fan fic lately. I promise that all of my stories WILL be updated and eventually completed. Maybe not quickly, but they will be finished. There will be a bit of time between updates at times, but I want you to be assured that I absolutely plan on finishing these stories. That said, I hope you enjoy this fic and leave a comment. Thank you guys for sticking with me.   
> Callidora.

“So, Dad…” 

Cory nearly turned and went back to bed at the sound of his son’s voice. Michael never used that tone of voice unless he really wanted something. The last time he’d used it was the summer he’d wanted to quit guitar lessons after begging Cory to spend two thousand dollars on them. This was why Cory didn’t even bother turning to face him before sighing. 

“Whatever you want, I’m almost certain that the answer is no.” He said.

Michael came to lean against the counter next to the stove. “Just hear me out, okay?” 

“What do you want?” Cory asked, flipping the bacon in his pan.

Michael glanced at Devin who shook his head. “There’s a video game tournament going on pretty soon. It’s gonna be huge, dad. Big names in the gaming world are going to be there.” 

“Where is it?” Cory asked, watching Devin heave a deep sigh and look away from his twin. 

Michael bit his lip before replying. “Here’s where you say no...” He squeezed his hands into fists and then said in a rush, “It’s in Philadelphia.” 

Cory didn’t say anything for a long time. He glanced over at Shawn, who was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee in one hand. The twins had always loved video games. In fact, they both wanted to become video game designers when they were older. They had a YouTube channel where they posted videos of the two of them playing various games and they’d even taken a course the previous summer about game design. Cory could tell that both of his sons really wanted to go to this tournament, even if Devin was studiously staring in the opposite direction, and he didn’t want to just deny them as he’d done countless times.

Still, Cory wasn’t sure if he was truly ready. Philadelphia was home, or it had been once. He hasn’t been back there since he left and the thought of going back there terrified him. His mother and father were there, and Eric would certainly be there. If he went back, Cory would have to face them. He would have to explain everything to them and… and what if they decided that they hated him for it? Cory let out a long breath and tried to focus on the positive aspects. 

If he went back, the boys would meet his parents. They would meet their uncle. The thought made him smile for a moment. His parents would love them and Eric… Eric would absolutely adore them. Yes, his family was going to be absolutely furious with him. There would be shouting and crying and Cory would probably wish that he’d never gone back before. But, maybe it would be okay. 

He looked up at Shawn. “What do you say, Shawnie? You down for a road trip? Maybe a few shouting matches?” He asked, trying for lighthardedness.

Shawn shrugged one shoulders, a proud little smirk on his face. “You know me, Cor. I’m always down for a shouting match with the Matthews family.” 

“When does this thing take place?” Cory asked, turning to his sons.

It took them a moment to answer. Devin’s jaw was so low it might as well have been on the floor and Michael looked like he’d gone into shock. 

“It starts next weekend.” Devin said after a long moment had passed, still staring wide-eyed at Cory. 

“All right then, we need to get there sometime this week. That means a hotel room, I’m gonna have to have Darryl watch the store for a while….” Cory broke off, muttering to himself distractedly.

Shawn wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “Why don’t you boys go pack your suitcases, all right? I’m gonna help your dad with the arrangements.” 

Cory didn’t hear what the boys replied with; he was too busy having a minor panic attack at the prospect of seeing his family again. Now that it was so close to happening, Cory was able to realize that he’d honestly never actually intended to go back there. As terrible as it sounded, he was able to see that he would have kept finding reasons not to go back there. 

“You made the right choice, Cory.” Shawn said as he led Cory towards a chair. 

“Did I? I don’t want them to see us fight, Shawn. Devin and Michael… they have this idea that my family is going to welcome me back… and I just don’t see that happening.” 

Shawn shook his head. “I’ll call Eric, okay? He’s the only one we really need to be worried about and, if he knows what’s coming, he’ll be less likely to cause a scene in front of the boys.”

“Gods, what am I thinking? This is a terrible idea.” Cory moaned, resting his head in his arms. 

“This is a good thing.” Shawn insisted, “It may not be easy but you aren’t doing this alone, okay? I’ll be right behind you.” 

“I don’t want you right behind me,” Cory interrupted, “I’d rather you stay beside me. If you’re behind me, I’ll forget you’re there and I’ll panic.” 

Shawn huffed out a laugh. “Fine, I’ll be right beside you. Let’s do this, okay?”

“Okay. Are… are you gonna call Eric?” Cory asked, not moving his head from his arms. 

“Yeah, do you wanna be here when I do it?” Shawn lay a hand on Cory’s back. 

Cory nodded. “You might as well do it now, before I lose my nerve.” 

Shawn nodded and pulled his phone off of the table. Keeping on arm around Cory’s waist, he dialed a number and put the phone on speaker. Cory listened to the phone ring for what seemed like an hour before a familiar voice answered.

“Hey Shawn, what’s up?” 

Shawn rubbed his hand up and down Cory’s side. “Are you... uh… are you sitting down?” He asked.

Eric laughed. “Shawn, it’s eight thirty in the morning. Jack and I aren’t even out of bed yet. What’s the matter? You don’t sound drunk.” 

“I’m not drunk but I do have… news.” 

Eric’s voice turned serious when he next spoke. “Shawn, what’s wrong? Where are you?” 

“I’m in Washington and there’s nothing wrong, exactly. I just… um… look, I’m just gonna tell you what’s going on and you can freak out in a second, okay?” 

“All… all right.” 

Shawn spent the next five minutes telling Eric about the email Michael had sent him and about what had happened when he’d found Cory. Eric was strangely silent throughout the story and Cory felt his chest tighten. 

“When are you going to be here?” Eric asked when Shawn finished his tale.

Shawn pressed his lips to Cory’s temple before answering. “Sometime this week. Cory’s gotta work on finding plane tickets and a hotel. Plus the boys have to pack a suitcase and there’s the panic attack that Cory is currently having.” 

Eric sighed. “Don’t worry about a hotel. Mom won’t let you guys stay at a hotel. Just… just worry about getting here, all right.” 

“Okay. We… can do that.” Shawn said, looking down at Cory.

“And Shawn?” Eric’s voice was soft.

“Yeah?” 

“Tell my brother that I love him. I’m mad as hell and I’m probably gonna shout myself hoarse at him… but I’m glad he’s coming home.” By the end of the sentence, it sounded like Eric had started to cry and Cory felt himself tear up.

“I’ll tell him, dude.” 

“Call me before you guys head out and I’ll come get you guys.” 

Shawn confirmed that he would make sure to let Eric know that he’d call when they were on their way and hung up. Turning to Cory, he wrapped his arms around Cory’s waist and held him as the other man started to cry. It was all too much for Cory to handle all at once. His brother didn’t hate him. Eric, his big brother, the person he’d been the most scared of seeing again, didn’t hate him. The tears that were dripping down his cheeks were filled with relief and Cory allowed himself to lean against Shawn’s chest for a long time.


	6. Five

The next few days were a blur of conversations and planning. While the boys had suitcases packed, Cory did not. He took two days to even decide which suitcase to bring, much less to actually pack it. Shawn had been ready for days and spent most of his time making sure that Cory didn’t fall completely to pieces. In fact, if not for Shawn, Cory might have forgotten how to exist as a rational human being. Shawn not only made sure that the boys’ behaved themselves but he also made sure that Cory remembered to do things like eat and sleep and shower. 

They had to wake up at three in the morning the day they left Oak Harbor for Philadelphia, which was a trial in and of itself. Neither of the boys were pleased to be awake that early in the morning and they were both rather vocal about it. Cory, who hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep the night before, had chosen to let Shawn drive. It was a long car drive to the Seattle airport and Cory had no less than four panic attacks on the way there. 

He was doing this. He was really doing this. Cory was once again on the verge of another panic attack. They’d boarded the plane an hour ago and, while Shawn and the boys were asleep, Cory was wide awake. He couldn’t seem to fall asleep when there was still so much to panic about. He sat between Shawn and Devin, and tried to keep his panic attack silent.

“Dad?” Devin’s voice was quiet but it shook Cory from his thoughts.

Cory looked down. “What’s up Dev?” He asked.

“Are you… scared? To see your family again, I mean.” Devin glanced towards Shawn as he spoke.

“I’m terrified.” Cory said, “But things’ll be okay.” 

“Michael’s worried that we shouldn’t have made you come. He thinks it could have been a bad idea.” Devin murmured, glancing behind them at his twin.

Cory shook his head. “You guys did the right thing. I needed to go back there. They’re my family and I need to see them. Besides, I have you guys and Shawn with me.” 

“Is… is Shawn going to shout at you again?” Devin asked, “I mean, when you face your family.” 

“That’s… not really how Shawn and I have ever worked.” Cory murmured. “We got all our shouting out already. He’ll stand beside when we face the family.” 

Devin frowned. “How do you know that?” 

“It’s what he’s always done.” Cory said simply, glancing at Shawn. “He’s always been there for me, no matter how much I’d screwed up. I trust him to do it now, too.”

“Do you… do you love him?” Devin asked, his frown deepening. 

Cory glanced at Shawn again, smiling at the sleeping man. “I always have.” He said, “It took me way to long to realize it, of course. But… but yeah, I love him.” 

“And, you think he’s gonna be around a while?”

“The rest of our lives, probably.” Cory answered, reaching out to twine his fingers through Shawn’s.

Devin nodded. “Good.” 

“Why is that good?” Cory asked, smiling down at his son.

“He makes you happpy. I… I don’t think we’ve ever seen you as happy as you are when Shawn’s around.” He grinned. “Michael and I have decided that we’ll keep him.”

Cory snorted. “I’m glad you like him. He’s been my best friend since we were little. Fifteen years is enough time to be apart.” 

“If I ever decide to do something stupid like what you did, you’ll hit me. Right? ‘Cause Michael wouldn’t be nice about it, like Shawn was. He’d kill me.” Devin said seriously, looking up at Coryy.

Cory rolled his eyes. “I’ll make sure to stop you.” He agreed, ruffling Devin’s hair.

“Stop him from doing what?” Shawn asked, opening his eyes.

“Running away.” Cory told him.

“Well, we won’t necessarily stop you from running away from us.” Shawn disagreed. “We’ll stop you from doing it in the middle of the night, leaving no forwarding address, sure. But, sometimes at least, it’s necessary to run away.” 

Cory smiled at him and squeezed his hand. He sincerely hoped that they were both done running now. All he wanted was to spend the rest of his life with the man at his side, and he hoped Shawn felt the same way. Turning, he rested his head on Shawn’s shoulder and closed his eyes. 

“You realize we land in like forty-five minutes, right?” Shawn asked, looking down at him. 

Cory hummed. “Yeah. I’m not sleeping, just resting my eyes.” 

Shawn laughed. “Now, isn’t that something I’ve heard before.” He said.

Cory didn’t answer; he was already half into sleep. What seemed like seconds later, he woke to Devin and Shawn giggling quietly. He opened his eyes and sat up, groaning and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Devin and Shawn were still giggling when he looked up at them.

“What’s so funny?” He asked.

Devin smirked. “You and Michael were snoring. In unison.” He said with a laugh. 

“How long was I asleep?” Cory asked, glancing at Shawn. 

“Forty-five minutes. We’re landing.” Shawn swept an arm across his shoulders and grinned at him.

“Have you… uh… have you heard from Eric?” Cory asked after a moment, his eyes shooting to Shawn’s face.

Shawn’s arm tightened around Cory’s shoulders. “I texted him a few minutes ago. He’s waiting for us right now. Jack’s with him.” 

“Oh. God.” Cory muttered, resting his head in his hands and taking a deep breath. 

“It’s going to be okay. Come on, I’m right here.” Shawn whispered. 

Devin looked at him. “You’re not gonna leave him when all of this blows up, are you?” 

“Absolutely not.” Shawn said, “I wouldn’t do that to Cory.” 

Devin nodded. “Good. Because I’d have to kill you if you did.” 

The stewardess began letting them out of their seats and Cory focused on keeping his breaths deep and even. Shawn took his hand as they began to walk out of the plane, speaking in a quiet voice to the boys. Cory’s chest felt tight and he squeezed Shawn’s hand, reminding himself that he wasn’t alone. Shawn was here, right beside him as he always had been before, and Cory would be okay. Even if his entire family disowned him, Cory would have Shawn and that was enough. 

The first time he caught sight of his brother, Cory felt like he was going to pass out. Eric was holding up a sign that said Cory’s name. Cory felt himself stop in his tracks. He couldn’t do this. There was no way he could go through with this. Why had he let Shawn talk him into this? 

“Cory? Hey, come on. Breathe.” Shawn placed both of his hands on Cory’s cheeks, staring down into his eyes. 

Cory stared up at him, trying to breathe normally and force himself to go through with this. Another glance at his brother made his breathing stop again and he closed his eyes. He could hear Devin and Michael shuffling around behind them, whispering in low voices. Gods. He didn’t want them to see this… but he couldn’t seem to get a hold of himself. Christ. If this was how he reacted to Eric, how was he going to react to his parents? His heart stopped at the thought and Cory sucked in a rattling breath. 

“Cory. Cory, hey. Look at me.” Shawn’s voice was soft, his hands still warm on Cory’s cheeks.

Cory opened his eyes. Shawn’s face was very close to his, blocking out the rest of the world. He stared intently into Shawn’s eyes, feeling his heart rate slow down. 

“I can’t do this. Shawnie. What am I thinking?” He whispered, closing his eyes. 

Shawn stroked a hand down the side of his face. “You’re thinking that this is the right thing to do. You heard Eric. He loves you. He’s happy you’re coming home.” 

Cory leaned into the touch. “I’m scared.”

“It’s okay. I won’t let anything happen, okay?” Shawn whispered, pressing a kiss against his lips.

Cory nodded, pulling away from Shawn. “Don’t… don’t let go of me. Or let me run away.” 

Shawn took his hand and and squeezed it. Slowly, they resumed walking towards their brothers. Cory’s heart felt like it was going to come flying straight out of his chest and he honestly thought that he was going to be sick. When they stopped in front of Eric and Jack, he kept his eyes focused on Eric’s shoes. They were sensible, black dress shoes that matched the black slacks and white button-up shirt Eric was wearing. 

“Cory.” Eric’s voice shook and Cory raised his eyes to meet his brother’s. 

There was a moment in which neither of them spoke. They simply stared at each other, tears brimming in their eyes, for what seemed like hours. Eric broke first; surging forward to grab his little brother in a hug. After a moment, Cory reached up to wrap his arms around his brother. He pressed his face into the crook of Eric’s neck and gave a quiet sob.

“You grew up.” Eric said when they pulled away. 

Cory nodded. “So did you. Sensible shoes.” He said, watching his older brother’s lips curve into a smile. 

“I was at work before I came here. This is the dress code of a movie producer.” Eric said, grinning.

Cory grinned. “I know. I’ve followed your career.” He admitted.

Eric’s face darkened. “You followed my career but you couln’t be bothered to call me?” He asked incredulously. 

“I’ll… I’ll explain. But I’m not doing it more than once. Mom and dad need to hear it too… and I’m not going to do this twice.” Cory murmured. 

Eric nodded. “I… I told them you were coming.” He said guiltily. “I know you said not to but… I didn’t want to spring this on them.”

“That’s okay. You’re right. They needed to know what to expect.” Cory said, stepping back to Shawn’s side.

Eric watched their hands entwine with a smile. 

“So, it finally happened.” He said, grinning at Shawn.

Shawn didn’t blush. “It seemed like the natural thing to do. We were both in love with each other. We’re both adults. Why not?” 

Jack, speaking for the first time, glanced at their linked hands with scorn. “And you trust him to stick around this time?” He said in a sneer.

Cory’s eyes immediately went the floor, his hand sliding out of Shawn’s. His chest suddenly felt heavy, like his heart had gained twenty pounds, and tears burned his eyelids. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, willing himself not to cry.

“Why don’t you shut your ugly mouth about my dad? You don’t know a fucking thing about him!” Michael sneered. Devin didn’t even try to control his brother.

Cory heard Eric’s immediate intake of breath, followed by another sneer. “He’s already got someone, obviously. Are you happy to his dirty little secret?” Jack sneered.

This time, Cory did let the tears begin sliding down his face. Shawn’s arm wrapped around his shoulders, tight and warm. 

“Shut the fuck up, Jack.” Shawn’s voice was hard. “Michael’s right. You don’t know a thing about Cory. If he wants to tell you about the boys’ mother, he will. But you’ll keep your nose out of it. I love him. He loves me. Whatever happened fifteen years ago was fifteen years ago.” He pressed his lips against Cory’s temple. “Say something like that again and I’ll beat your ass so hard your great-grandkids feel it.” 

There was a moment of awe-struck silence before another set of warm hands settled themselves on Cory’s shoulders. Surprised, Cory looked up to meet Jack’s eyes. The other man was staring down at him with an apologetic expression. 

“I’m… I’m sorry, Cory.” He said. “I don’t know… I shouldn’t have said that. Shawn’s right. I have no idea what happened fifteen years ago.” 

Cory shook his head. “It’s… it’s okay. I… don’t blame you.” 

“Dad!” Michael yelled. This time, Devin elbowed him in the ribs.

“Michael, I appreciate you trying to stand up to me. But, Jack was well within his rights to be angry at me. I fucked up when I left here, okay? I hurt a lot of people and they’re gonna be angry.” He looked back at Jack and bit his lip. “The boys are adopted, by the way.” 

In a shaky voice, he told them about the boys’ mother and how he’d adopted them thirteen years ago. Eric was smiling, a proud glint in his eye, when Cory finished. 

“Let’s get you to Mom and Dad’s. They’re going to love your sons.” He looked at the boys and then said, “I’m your Uncle Eric, by the way. Your father’s favorite brother.”

Cory rolled his eyes. “You aren’t my favorite. You’re my older brother.” He looked at the boys. “I have two more siblings. Morgan is your Aunt and Josh is your Uncle. Though, Josh is closer in age to you guys.”

The boys nodded, though they both took a moment to glare at Jack. Cory sighed and squeezed Shawn around the middle as they followed their brothers out of the airport. That had gone better than he’d thought it would. Unfortunately, he didn’t think his parents and remaining siblings would go the same way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...I'm so sorry for kind of making Jack a bit of an asshole there but that one kind of happened by itself. :) Rest assured, Jack's done being an ass. The next chapter will deal with another reunion... and even more emotion. Seriously, have your tissues ready. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. :)  
> Callidora


End file.
